Wedding planning can be stressful and finding a photographer you like shouldn’t add to that stress. Your wedding day should be a beautiful day, free of stress so you can focus on marrying the love of your life. Below are a few helpful hints to help guide you in your search for a photographer who will fit your needs and document your wedding so you have beautiful photos for years to come!

1. KNOW YOUR BUDGET

Knowing your budget is huge and so is knowing how much importance photography holds for your wedding day. Hiring a wedding photographer is an investment, there’s no doubt about that, and it’s an important investment because your photos (or video) will be one of the only lasting reminders of your beautiful wedding day.

Remember that a photographer’s cost directly correlates with their experience. If you are price shopping and looking for the cheapest option, you might be getting a photographer with less experience and with that you might get photos that you aren’t super thrilled with. If you are curious about how long they have been photographing weddings, just ask! Plus it’s always a great idea to look at their portfolio and read previous client reviews.

2. LOVE THEIR STYLE

Know what style you are looking for, each photographer has a different way of going about things on wedding days and how they photograph their subjects in general. There are many different genres of photography and within those there are tons of photographers! Documentary, classic, fine art, edgy and bold. Each is just as beautiful as the rest, so find what feels right for you! Keep in mind that when you look at a photographers website, their style should be evident; if their photos are all over the place you might not be guaranteed to get the style you are looking for.

3. LIKE THEM AS A HUMAN

You are going to be spending most of your day around 2 people: your significant other and your photographer. You need to like them as a human before you can like them as a photographer. Don’t be afraid to get to know them, read their “about me” section on their website, find them on Instagram and look through their photos and see how they interact with people, and read reviews of what their previous clients have said.

After doing your research, if you think you would get along, contact them and ask to set up a meeting! During a meeting, don’t be shy about asking questions. I don’t know about most photographers, but I love when potential clients are curious and ask me questions! I promise you won’t annoy me! If after meeting with them you don’t feel like you are clicking, then start your search again (that’s easier said than done, right?).